There wasn't a lot Jaguars general manager Gene Smith wanted to say about the team's conversations with kicker Josh Scobee.

Of course, the two sides haven't spoken in months and right now there isn't a lot to say. The Jaguars placed the franchise tag on Scobee and he has yet to sign it.

Asked if he felt that the Jaguars had made a fair offer and would leave it there, Smith replied last week:

"We tried to, relative to the market, be fair with our players and we'll continue to work to get a long-term deal done."

Tampa Bay signed kicker Connor Barth to a four-year deal worth $3.3 million per year with $4 million in guarantees about a month ago. Some wondered why that contract didn't help advance the Jaguars talks with Scobee. The reality is, that contract simply became part of the equation.

"There's been a couple recent deals done this out of season, and we're hopeful we'll get his done," Smith said. "Certainly the team and the player and the agent, when you're in negotiation, you look at deals that are done recently."

Smith is not concerned about Scobee holding out during the season.

"You mean this season?" he said. "I anticipate him kicking for us this season and hopefully that's the case in the future."

The deadline for reaching a long-term deal is July 16. When asked if Scobee signing the tag would motivate the Jaguars more to negotiate, here is how Smith replied:

"We're motivated to get a long-term deal done at any point in time that we're able to, and that's still our position."

How about finaly cutting Kampman? Is GS really planing to pay him the millions he is due this year just to ride a bike on the sideline?The savings on that deal should more than pay to sweeten the deals for two proven producers like MJD & Scob.

I want to see this "fair" offer.
If we are going off him being the 3rd best kicker, lets give him 3rd best money for the next 5 years and a nice little signing bonus. I say 4.75 mil for 5 years with a 2 mil signing bonus. We are well under the cap and could secure him.This would also give him a lengthy contract to secure his future. win win

it seems its all sos and stinkfist in all these blogs lol. i do understand ur points about us not being a winning team, we should pay our guys, and we could have done better in the draft. but we are paying our guys, just not the guys under contract. we should sign scobee to a good deal, but wait a bit on mjd. this article sums it up i think

it's not fair, but its just how it is. maybe we should cut thomas and give mjd his salary. and say what you will about gene smiths picks, but monroe > both smiths, and alualu > mccoy even with his bum knee. of course, gabbert = rookie failure so gene smith can be said to be not the best, but a competent one thats leading us in the right direction.

Gene Smith is the main reason the Jaguars are not competitive; bad decision after bad decision. Not to be negotiating with Scobee is ludicrous; he is one of the best kickers in the league. When the Jaguars finally get some different makers, Gene finds a way not to treat them the way they should be.

Is Gene Smith going to get rid of 2 of the best players on the team - Scobee and MJD? Is he trying to make sure we get the #1 draft pick next year?